Other
Scientific paper
Aug 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000noao.prop..167b&link_type=abstract
NOAO Proposal ID #2000B-0167
Other
Scientific paper
It is now possible to observe visible and near-infrared interstellar absorption spectra at high resolution toward highly obscured and faint background light sources. We propose to observe the interstellar absorption spectrum at wavelengths 0.4 to 1.1 (micron) toward BL Lacertae. This is an especially valuable background source because it lies at low Galactic latitude (b=-10.44) and because its interstellar absorption spectrum at mm-wavelengths has already been well studied by Liszt & Lucas, who find surprisingly high abundances of polyatomic molecules. Our measurements of the optical transitions of CH, CH^+, CN, and C_2 can provide valuable information on density, temperature, and the carbon chemistry, which cannot be obtained from the radio observations alone. There is also the possibility of detecting something new or unexpected in such a deep spectrum of interstellar matter. BL Lac is one of the few low-latitude sources bright enough across the electromagnetic spectrum to permit a complete survey of interstellar absorption from X- rays to meter wavelengths. As a byproduct, the proposed observation will permit a sensitive survey for weak features in the otherwise featureless spectrum of BL Lac itself.
Black John Harry
Jannuzi Buell
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